So we had to go to Paso Robles yesterday evening for a concert, and since it was just as hot there as it was here (100+) we decided to hit the coast first. I could not be more thankful for the detour. We left temperatures in the 90’s and arrived at the coast to fog and high 60’s. I got to put on a sweatshirt and everything! Since I was with the shutterbug hubby, I decided to bring my little camera and follow his lead. These are a few of my favorite shots.
So I started watching a Netflix program yesterday called Stranger Things. It is one of those original series that they now produce, and I have to admit, I am totally hooked. It is a suspenseful, horror, sci fi kind of series. So basically, stuff I don’t tend to watch. I like suspense, but I stay away from horror, because it is not good for me. This one though had me hooked quickly, and I couldn’t figure out why? I wondered if it was because I so totally related to the setting. It is set in 1980, so I feel like I am looking at my childhood. (or at least Jr. High) The clothes, bikes, cars, homes, music and TV were all so familiar to me. I looked at clothes that I probably wore, and hairstyles that I totally had. In the show, I was in a setting that made so much sense to me. Not like Sesame Street. I know you are thinking, Sesame Street? How did we get here? Continue reading “Stranger things to post….”
Today was a day of encouragement. Some of it I gave, and some of it I received. The events were nothing spectacular, but it is typically the small things that can have the most impact. This morning, I went to the grocery store, and by the time I came out, my car was in the shade. It was a simple thing, but in the heat of the Central Valley, it provided welcome relief even from this morning’s heat.
When I came home, I had to hurry and get cleaned up, as I had a massage appointment to get to. It was only twenty minutes, but after the stress that I put myself through this week, it was like a little slice of heaven. This week my regular therapist was back from a maternity sabbatical, and I was happy to see her. After my massage, we sat and talked for a few minutes. First she gave me the update about the new baby and the challenges of being a new mom. I told her some of my experiences with the boys, and encouraged her to use her own good sense to make decisions. I advised her to not worry about what other people say she should do, but to take the advice and use her best judgement. I then told her that I had quit my job, and that I was working at blogging and trying to “reinvent” myself. It was then that she was able to give some encouraging words to me. It was a great conversation, and I left feeling better in both body and spirit. Continue reading “Right time, right place.”
Viva La Revolution!! And I do not mean some kind of violent upheaval, I mean the spinning around till you get back to the start. That is where I am today, back to getting some tapping done. I am trying to be mindful of everything that is going on in the world, but life goes on. And isn’t that why we continue to address the same issues? Life must go on. I have to work, pay bills, care for my family, exercise, eat right and try to encourage/instruct my children. (still!!)
I was tapping this morning (yikes) and I found that one step was really hard for me, because of one little problem. I was having a hard time with my weight on my heel and bringing my other foot off the floor. It was all a matter of balance. I felt awkward and terribly clumsy, but kept working on it. After thinking it through, watching the video and practicing that one part repeatedly it finally felt better. It probably did not look perfect, but it did feel a little more natural. Continue reading “Tap dance as life.”
So I was thinking this morning, what is my response?
Last week was a rough one for our nation. We started out strong with the celebration of Independence Day, and ended with police and civilians hurt and dying on our streets. During this week, we also saw athletes of all makes and models competing to represent our country in the upcoming Olympic games. So, the highs and lows of being an American were out in force. It is crazy to me sometimes that things like this, the best and worst, can hit right at the same time.
So what is my response? Continue reading “My Response? Seek Wisdom”
So today as I watch the news and watch officer involved shootings, I am…? I am not even sure. I am angry and upset. I am so sad that families will be going through the emotional roller coaster, that is now their new normal. I am tired of seeing the same bad decision making, incident after incident.
I called my son, because I knew he would be angry. As I spoke with him, I tried to work through what I was thinking, while giving him what I hoped would be wisdom. So I told my son that the best way we can do something at this point would be personal. (At this point, I had a whole paragraph of some of the things that I think need to be addressed, but trying to keep opinion out and see what God teaches me through this.) Continue reading “Where is justice?”
Dinner is almost done and I am exhausted. It is going to be a couple of long weeks as we are getting ready for VBA. I am sure you see signs where you live about VBS, or Vacation Bible School. Here though, we do Vacation Bible Adventure. Both our Senior and Youth Pastors have daughters that work at Disneyland, so that should give you the indication what the place starts to look like. Sets are going up all over the campus in anticipation of the 1,000 or so kids who will attend. During the week, I tell stories
to preschoolers. Today I went and started to get our sets “built”, more like taped together, for the stories. I was happy to have one of our students come out and help me today. I had a picture from Pinterest of what I was looking for, but after showing her that, I gave her free reign to create. I think she did a fantastic job. It is a really cute whale….my pic is not so good though.
This whole undertaking is HUGE! It takes so many people, using so many different talents to put these great environments together. It is always exhausting, but always amazing to be a part of such a wonderful group of people. Are you having your own Vacation Bible School? Or Adventure? If you are, leave a comment about what encourages you the most about being involved in this kind of event.
So I kind of cut her out of the picture because she is a young lady, and I try to be aware of any parental concern.
How do I respond? That is becoming my favorite question nowadays. It is a question that I love, because I think it takes a lot of pressure off of me. I do not tend to respond quickly, I try and ask the question first, and then wait for an answer. Hopefully there is time to get that answer, but thankfully, when time is not on my side God seems to be bringing answers even before the questions are asked.
I got a text last night from a friend, and she was heart sick. You see, she saw a pastor on YouTube, speaking to his congregation about the horrific nightclub shooting in Orlando. He had no compassion for the dead or wounded, and he expressed his happiness over their deaths. She texted me because I am her friend and she felt she could trust me. I am glad about that. I am also glad that in the past couple of years I have tried to read, listen, and learn more about Jesus. In doing that, I felt able to speak to her last night, and I hope that she was comforted.
How do I respond? I will always try to ask the question, or see if I have already gotten the answer. Wait what if I don’t know? How do I respond? I guess I am just going to make a default setting, command L. Respond in Love!
Lowest common denominator. Again, this math concept came back to me as I have been listening to the election coverage and heard it being used. I know what you are thinking, politics and math? It was actually Stephen Hawking who used it, and while he was talking about a particular presidential candidate, I actually think about this all the time. It is pretty funny because it is a mathematics term, and I hated math. As I am getting older though, I am finding that math is making its way into my everyday life more often. The best is when I use algebra as an object lesson for my sons. My mother, the math teacher, would be proud. My sons though, are pretty much over it.
Back to my point. I find that in a lot of things, people tend to go to the lowest common denominator. Myself included. I always wonder why? Whether it is comedy. Where most jokes nowadays are more hurtful than funny, but everyone laughs. Or it could be politics, where we jump on a bandwagon of the candidate who is talking the loudest, singling out an enemy and promising what they are going to do for you. Or even the church where we pretend to do instead of really doing what we believe, because it is just easier that way. Again why? Maybe we are working, trying to make ends meet? More concerned with getting the kids picked up from daycare than who will be the next councilman, senator or president? Worrying about our weight, health, jobs, spouses and children. Which are all good things to worry about. Too tired at the end of day trying to make life better, that we don’t have the energy to really ask, what makes a better life? Too distracted to ask ourselves, do I really want to live a “lowest common denominator” kind of life?
I know that is a life I really don’t want. Unfortunately, I believe that is a life I have lived too much of already. So I am now trying day by day not to accept that “uncommon” life as my own. It is harder than it looks. I get up, I write, I read my bible, exercise (ok so not every day yet), and I try to be encouraging. Every day I fight the desires to wallow in self-pity, doubt, fear, pride and anger. (Well that was an honest sentence for you) Each day is a new opportunity, and maybe more importantly a different opportunity. So I take strength in the words of Paul, the man who wrote most of the new testament not the Beatle. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” He sounds as confused as I feel many times, but I love his honesty. I take great comfort in the fact that if Paul didn’t have it all down on his own, than I am not doing so bad. My Mom was right when she said, “it’s not what you know, but who you know”, and for that uncommon life, I am counting on Him being my Who.
If you want to check out where Paul said that: Romans 7:15 NIV
Please leave a comment if the post encouraged, challenged or made you think.
Cheryl Mendoza 